Combined book rest and marker.



S. J. GONNIES. COMBINED BOOK BEST AND MARKER. APPLICATION FILED MAY 21, 1909v 953,409. Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

witnesses marr srpr PATENT FFlt/E.

SAMUEL J". CONNIES, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, .ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM M. FITZGERALD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

COMBINED BOOK BEST AND DIARKER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 29, 1910.

Application filed May 21, 1909. Serial No. 497,550.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. CoNNIns, citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Book Rests and Markers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a combined book rest and marker, and has for its object to provide a comparatively simple and thoroughly efficient device of the character described by means of which a book may be conveniently supported in open position when reading without liability of soiling the book or cramping the fingers, as is the case when the book is supported in the hand in the usual manner.

A further object of the invention is to provide a book rest or support having a spring clamping member pivotally mounted thereon and adapted to bear against the leaves of a book for holding the latter in open position at any desired page.

A further object is to provide the spring clamping member with a pivoted cross arm, capable of being swung laterally in longitudinal alinement with the body portion of the clamping member so as to permit the book to be closed without danger of cutting or otherwise mutilating the leaves of said book.

A still further object of the invention is generally to improve this class of devices so as to increase their utility, durability, and etliciency, as well as to reduce the cost of manufacture.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following description, it being understood that various changes in form, proportions, and minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof and also to acquire a knowledge of the details of construction and the means for effecting the result, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a combined book rest and marker constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the device detached; Fig. 3 is a transverse section of Fig. 2; Fig. 4c is a perspective view showing a different manner of forming the operating handles; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view illustrating a modification.

, Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the same reference characters.

The combined book rest and marker forming the subject matter of the present invention, comprises an elongated body portion 6 preferably formed of a single strip of metal, curved transversely to conform to and adapted to bear against the back of the book to be supported, said strip embracing the major portion of the back of the book, as shown. One end of the body portion 6 is curved or rounded at 7, while the opposite end thereof is reduced to form a shank 8 adapted to be embedded in or otherwise secured to a suitable supporting handle 9.

Extending vertically from the body portion 6 in advance of the handle 9, is a supporting bracket 10 having its upper end provided with a slot 11 and its lower end bent laterally to produce a flange 12 adapted to be soldered, riveted or otherwise rigidly secured to said body portion, the metal forming the bracket being extended laterally be yond the adjacent longitudinal edges of said body portion to form oppositely disposed stop fingers 12 adapted to bear against the lower edge of the book, as best shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings.

Mounted on the bracket 10 is a spring clamping member preferably in the form of a rod 13 having one end thereof secured to a suitable handle or finger piece 1 1 and its opposite end provided with a cross arm 15, adapted to bear against the leaves of a book and hold the latter open at any desired place. The cross arm 15 is pivotally mounted at 16 on the adjacent end of the rod 13 so that when it is desired to close the book, the cross arm 15 may be swung laterally on its pivot 16 to a position in longitudinal alinement with the rod 13, thus to allow the cross bar 15 together with the rod 13, to be seated in the depression at the juncture of the leaves and allow the book to be closed without danger of cutting or otherwise mutilating said leaves.

Interposed between the body portion 6 and the finger piece 14, is a coil spring 17,

portion of the rod 13.

the normal tendency of which is to force the cross arm 15 downwardly in engagement with the leaves of the book, one end of the coil spring being passed through a suitable opening in the body portion 6 and the other end thereof secured in any suitable manner to the finger piece 14.

In order to prevent longitudinal movement of the rod 13 with respect to the bracket 10, said rod is formed with spaced transverse openings 18, the walls of which are preferably tapered and adapted to receive correspondingly tapered pins '19, the latter constituting stops and adapted to bear against the adjacent faces of the bracket 10 for the purpose stated. By providing the rod 13 with the pins 19, said rod may be readily passed through the opening or slot 11 in the bracket and then retained on the bracket by inserting the pins 19.

In using the device, the body portion or strip 6 is positioned on the book with the concavo-convex member thereof embracing the back thereof and with the rod 13 of the clamping member extending within the book so as to permit the cross arm 15 to bear against the adjacent leaves thereof.

With the device arranged as described, the book may be conveniently supported in position for reading by grasping the handle 9 without danger of cramping the fingers or soiling the cover or leaves of the book.

In order to remove the holder from the book, it is merely necessary to exert a downward pressure on the finger piece 14, which releases the clamping member 18 so that the device may be readily withdrawn from engagement with the book. By swinging the cross arm 15 laterally on its pivot 16, the book may be closed in the manner before stated.

In Fig. 4 of the drawings the handle 9 is shown stamped or otherwise formed integral with the body portion 6 and curved or bowed transversely, so as to present a smooth bearing surface for contact with the hand and thus permit the boo-k rest to be supported in the hand without liability of cutting the same. The finger piece 14 shown in the modification is also preferably stamped or otherwise formed integral with the rod 13 and curved or bowed laterally, in the manner before stated.

In Fig. 5 of the drawings, there is illustrated a modification in which the upper end of the bracket 10 is given a quarter turn ortwist to provide a flat bearing surface 20 for pivotal connection with the adjacent In this form of the tlevice a leaf spring 21 is employed for nor mally and yieldably retaining the cross arm in engagement with the leaves.

It will of course be understood that either a flat or coiled spring may be employed in the several forms of the device and that the rod 13 may be either pivoted to the supporting bracket or extended through a slot formed therein, whichever is found most dcsirable.

The device may be made in different sizes and shapes, and may be nickel-plated or otherwise coated so as to give the same a neat and an attractive appearance.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described including a body portion adapted to engage the back of a book, a bracket secured to the body portion and having a slot formed in the upper end thereof, a rod extending through the slot and having one end thereof provided with a finger piece and its interme diate portion formed with transverse openings, a cross arm pivotally mounted on the opposite end of the rod and adapted to bear against. the leaves of the book, pins seated in the openings in the rod and constituting stops for limiting the longitudinal movement of the rod, and a spring interposed between the finger piece and body portion.

2. A device of the class described including a body portion adapted to engage the back of a book and having one end thereof provided with an operating handle disposed in the same longitudinal plane with the body portion, a vertical bracket secured to the body portion and provided with oppositely disposed laterally extending stop fingers, and a spring clamping member mounted for tilting movement on the bracket and provided with a pivoted cross arm for engagement with the leaves of said book, said clamping member being provided with a handle spaced from the body portion and terminating short of the operating handle of said body portion.

3. A device of the class described includin g a transversely curved body portion adapted to engage the'back of a book, abracket extending vertically from one end of the body portion and having its opposite sides extended laterally beyond the adjacent longitudinal edges of the body portion to form stop fingers, a rod mounted for tilting movement 011 the bracket and having one end thereof provided with a finger piece, a cross arm pivotally mounted on the other end of the rod and adapted to engage the leaves of the book, and a spring interposed between the body portion and finger piece for normally and yieldably supporting the cross arm in engagement with said leaves.

4. A device of the class described includ ing a concavo-convex body portion adapted to engage the back of a book and having one end thereof broadened and curved transversely to form a handle, a bracket having its lower end bent laterally to produce a concavo-convex flange for attachment to the concave side of the body portion and provided with laterally extending stop fingers, I cross arm in engagement with the leaves of 10 a rod mounted for tilting movement on the a book.

upper end of the bracket and having one In testimony whereof I aflix my signature end thereof lcolroaderflied and curved transin presence of two Witnesses.

versely to pro uce a n er iece, a cross arm pivotally mounted on the dther end of the SAMUEL GONNIES' rod, and a spring interposed between the flange of the bracket and the finger piece for normally and yieldably supporting the 1 WVitnesses:

WV. N. WoonsoN, SAMUEL N. ACKER. 

